On Love, In Sadness
by Xandfan
Summary: BuffyXander story. At the Bronze Xander gets a visitor and the gang might get a to see a new side to Xander


Author: Newport  
E-mail: Jase1486Yahoo.com  
Rating: pg13 to maybe R. just gotta see where the story takes me  
Disclaimer: I think it's stating the obvious when i say that i don't  
own the show or characters.  
Spoilers: Shows over, nothin left to spoil.  
Summery: Not quite sure. Just gonna start typing and keep typing  
until a story pops out of my jumble of words, HeHe.

Authors Note: This is my first attempt at Fanfiction. I've been  
reading it since 2000 and I've been a big B/X Fan Since I stumbled  
across my first b/x fic. It was Taygeta's fic "Becoming One" after  
that I just fell in love with B/X Fanfic stuff. I'm also a big  
Jason Mraz Fan so that's why I'll probably have Xander be playing  
some of his songs. When I saw his "Curbside Prophet" live  
performance with the Blues Travelers at Yahoo Launch i got hooked on  
his music. He's really amazing in his live performances. I got the  
idea for this fic when I downloaded a few live performances of his  
when he was at Java Joes Cafe'. Anyways here goes.

The Bronze

Buffy, Xander, Willow and Oz are seated at their usual table. The  
Bronze is somewhat packed tonight with Teens dancing and laughing,  
just experiencing life. Oz an Willow are seated real close to each  
other with willow leaned into Oz's side whispering in his ear and  
giggling after she was done whispering. Oz had his arm around  
willows side and was whispering right back to her cracking a smile  
every now and then. This little display had been going on for about  
30 to 35 minutes now. Buffy had been watching the whole time; she  
thought it was cuter than cute. Xander sat beside her bored outta of  
his mind. He thought the display that Oz and willow were putting on  
was Disgustingly sappy but couldn't help but smile because at how  
happy his friends looked.

Xander would occasionally steal a glance at Buffy while she sipped  
at her drink and bopped her head along to the music that was playing  
over the house speakers. God she's amazing Xander thought. She  
seems to be doing a lot better after Dead Boy left. Xander Thinks  
back to the first few weeks after Angel's departure.

Flash Back

Xander had Finally left for his road trip. He was finally free! No  
parents there to yell at him No vampires and other People of the  
dead kind to try to kill him. For once Xander Harris was free for  
the first time in his life, utterly and truly free. He had been on  
the road for about 7 hours now and it was time to stop to get gas  
for the 3rd time. Damn the Mileage on this thing sucks He thought  
as he was pulling into a truck stops gas station off of I-5.

He got out and put the gas pump into the hole on the car and  
started to fill the car. As he was waiting for it to finish he  
spotted a pay phone on the side of the Gas station. I should  
probably check in just to see how things are he tried to convince  
himself as to the reason for his to calling. Truth is he has only  
been gone for 7 hours and already he missed his friends, well more  
specifically he already missed 'Her'. Buffy. God how many times did  
her name wander through his head a day? He didn't even know but he  
was fairly sure that if he got a dollar for every time it did he  
would have enough money to buy out Bill Gates for Microsoft 3 or 4  
times over by now.

Xander walked over to the pay phone and picked up the receiver and  
dropped a quarter into the slot. He dialed the number he knew by  
heart and waited for the familiar voice to pick up. When the phone  
was answered he almost didn't recognize the voice. "Hel..'Sniff'  
Hello" Buffy 's voice sounded hoarse and cracking probably from  
hours of crying alone in her room. God how many time have I done  
that Xander Thought to himself. "Buffy? What's wrong?"

"Angel..... Angel left" Buffy Said.

"What? When?" Xander asked concerned. Granted he never really liked  
dead-boy but he knew that Angel made Buffy happy

"A few hours ago. He just.... I.... god I'm so lonely Xander, I..."  
That was as far as she got before she dropped the phone and broke  
down crying.

Xander held the phone close to his ear and listened to her cry on  
the other end for a few seconds. She sounded like she was in so much  
pain. Needless to say that after he Hung up He hopped in his car and  
Hauled ass back to Sunnydale.

End Flash Back  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------

Over the next few months Buffy gradually got better. Over time she  
realized that it was for the best but that didn't make it hurt any  
less. But what surprised her the most was how much Xander was there  
for her those months. He would come by her house everyday and just  
hang out with her for hours on end. He would go patrolling with her.  
Always making sure she was ok after the whole Angel phiasco.

She grew to be so comfortable around him, he would make her laugh  
and smile. Kick her in the ass and set her straight when she thought  
that everything that happened was her fault. He would be her  
Shoulder to cry on when she was having a rough day. She can't count  
the number of times that Xander came over to her house and she cried  
her self to sleep in Xanders arms.

But now recently when she's around him she feels this thing between  
them that she really can't describe. She lights up when he enters  
the room. She notices that she's been hugging him a lot more than  
she ever did, constantly wanting to touch him or be touched. She  
goes on patrol with him every night now. When they both go to their  
respective homes she calls him as soon as she gets home to 'Make  
sure he got home'. And ends up talking to him until the early  
morning sunrays peek through her Curtains. One day she just started  
to see him with all new eyes and she really liked what she saw.

Then it hit her like a Mac Truck at a hundred and ten miles an hour  
I'm in love with Xander she gave a little gasp as this revelation  
hit her and it drew the attention of the other patrons at the  
table. "Everything alright Buffy?" Xander asked concerned. He looked  
at her with those big chocolate eyes that had so much caring and  
comfort and love, aimed right at her that she couldn't find the  
words to respond. She was hypnotized by his eyes, so she just gave a  
short nod. Willow and Oz went back to cuddling and whispering,  
Xander looked at her for an extra second before going back to his  
drink.

What the hell am I going to do about this now? How do I deal with  
this? There's no way he'd return my feelings especially after all  
the crap I've put him through and the way I treated him. She was  
about to dwell on this further when a figure approached the table.

"Xander?... Xander oh hey what's goin' on man!"

Xander whipped his head around to see who the owner of the voice  
was. When he saw him his eyes light up in recognition. "Oh shit  
Topher what's up?!" Topher gave Xander a bear hug.

"Topher what are you doing here? I thought you were in Portland  
doing the touring thing?"

"We finished that already. We're just passing through town on our  
way back to L.A. thought we'd give your Uncle Rory a heart attack  
when we showed up at his front door to say hi, hehehe."

Topher was a large black man with a baldhead accept for on the back  
of his head he has a patch of Dreadlocks that reaches all the way  
down to his lower back. "So kid who are your friends?" He asks as he  
looks at the faces around the table. He gives them all a smile and  
for a second Buffy, Willow and Oz are reminded of a big fluffy teddy  
bear.

Xander Puts an arm around Topher's shoulders and gestures to his  
friends like Vanna White while introducing his friends. "Topher this  
is Oz, Willow and Buffy."

"Guys, this is Topher he's a friend of my uncle Rory's. I've known  
him since I was like 5 years old." They all shake hands and nod  
while smiling at Xander's friend. Xander turns back to Topher "So  
what are you doing at the Bronze?"

"Well actually we were looking for you and your uncle said that you  
hang out here most nights, so we thought we'd show up and give you a  
shout... so 'Shout!'" Xander gives a little chuckle "Well thanks for  
the shout."

Buffy notices how close Topher and Xander acted, they had a real big  
brother little brother going on. She thought it was really sweet.  
She clears her throat to get their attention." Topher would you like  
to join us?"

Topher smiles at her "don't mind if I do". Oz grabs an empty stool  
behind him and swings it around his side while some how still  
staying glued to Willows side. He hands the stool to Topher "here  
you go man". Topher takes the stool "Thanks, Oz was it?" Oz grins  
and nods, "Thanks".

For the next half hour the gang plus Topher sat around the table  
swapping stories and having some good laughs. The gang really  
started to like Topoher. He told them how he met Xander's uncle at a  
coffee house in San Diego during an open mic night. Also how Xander  
used to go down to San Diego to visit him every couple of months  
until he got into high school. Willow always wondered what he did  
when his Uncle Rory took him to San Diego. Topher started telling  
story after embarrassing story about the kinds of stuff they used to  
get into down in San Diego.

"So when Xander hopped out of the car to moon the people on the  
bleachers I slammed on the gas! It was the funniest damn thing to  
see Xander running after the car with his pants around his ankles."  
The entire table was laughing their ass off by now. Willow had tears  
coming out of her eyes she was laughing so hard, Oz was laughing so  
hard that almost no sound was coming out of his mouth. Buffy was  
clutching her stomach with tears streaming down her face laughing so  
hard that she couldn't breath, she was afraid that if she laughed  
any longer that she might actually choke to death. Xander was  
blushing bright red and trying to slither off the stool and under  
the table.

After the laughter died down Xander turned to Topher with a grin and  
said " And thank you for that". Topher slaps him on the back" Hey  
man it's what I'm here for." Despite trying to be mad at Topher he  
couldn't fight down the smile that came to his face thinking of that  
incident.

Up on the stage one of the waitresses was trying to get the  
attention of everybody in the club by tapping on the mic. "Excuse me  
ladies and gentlemen, we're going to be trying something different  
tonight. Instead of having Scheduled acts perform tonight it's going  
to be open mic night. So if you wanna give it a shot some on up."

Oz looks up from planting a kiss on willows nose " Oh! I forgot  
about that, that's why The Dingo's couldn't play tonight."

Topher looked over at Xander "Open Mic Night? Xander we gotta do it!"

Xander looks at him and than at the surprised looks on his other  
friends faces then back to Topher "No no no no no!" Topher jumps out  
of his chair

"Yeah come on! We used to play all the time in my garage"

"Yeah but that was a long time ago."

"So what, come on man you were so good I got the instruments in my  
trunk I'll just go get them" Topher starts to run off but Xander  
grabs him by the back of his shirt and tries to pull him back "No  
dude no, no. We're not doing it" Topher tries to pull away again so  
Xander starts to lean back as far as he can while Topher leans as  
far forward as he can. "Yes come on man let me go get em', come on!"

The group just stares at them wanting to say something but instead  
are trying not to laugh. Topher looks back at Xander while still  
leaning forward "Xander we're playing weather you want to or not.  
Now let me go or I'll kick you" Xander just grips the shirt harder  
trying to lean back farther "your not gonna kick me... Owww!" The  
other occupants at the table can't take it anymore and start to  
crack up

Xander's holding his leg while Topher runs off to get the  
instruments. Xander sits back down still holding his leg. Buffy asks  
what everybody else was thinking "Xander how come you never told us  
you played music?"  
  
"Well I don't really I mean me and Topher just used to make up songs  
when we were hanging out in his garage. Just something to pass the  
time. besides I'm not really that good. I really don't want to play  
I'm just going to embarrass my self" Xander looks down at the table.

Buffy gently puts her hand on his arm "Xand I'm sure your great,  
will you please play? For me." Xander looks at the hand on his arm  
and then up to her beautiful face. That little half pout half smile  
always makes him fold "Okay I'll play," she smiles as he looks into  
her eyes with a surprising amount of intensity "For you." Those two  
words sends shivers down her spine as she stares into his eyes. her  
fingers start to rub small circles on his arm. They're just staring  
into each other's eyes when Topher comes up behind Xander

"Okay man here you go" Topher says while handing Xander an acoustic  
guitar. Xander takes it into his hands trying to get a feel for it  
again. Xander stares at the guitar in his hand "I can't believe I'm  
going to do this"

Topher looks at Oz "Xander tells me that you're in a band? Can you  
play an upright Base?" He leans the Base outwards towards Oz until  
the Werewolf grabs it.

"I think so, my Parents made me take Cello lessons when I was  
younger. It can't be much different. It's basically the same  
instrument minus the bow of horse hair." Topher smiles at Oz "Right  
on!" Willow beams with pride at her boyfriend and gives him a sweet  
kiss on the cheek "That's my baby" Willow whispers into his ear.

Topher Pulls his Bongo drum out of his duffel bag with the strap for  
it and puts it on with the drum in front of him. "Come on let's go."  
Topher hops up on stage with Xander and Oz right behind him. Topher  
goes up to the second mic that's situated to the side of the middle  
mic. "Hey everybody how's it goin'. We're gonna start up in a  
second, we just need a few minutes to prep." The three guys huddle  
in the corner for a few minutes while figuring out wich songs to  
play and also teaching oz the base lines for most the songs they  
want to do.

While they're up on stage the girls at the table start to chat while  
waiting.

"So wills do you think they're going to be any good?"

"I don't know I didn't even know that Xander could play, But if my  
baby is gonna be playing then they'll be reasonably good" She says  
while starting off into the distance with a dreamy look on her face.

Buffy starts to laugh, "God Wills, you are truly in love aren't  
you?" she teases her witch friend. Willow Nods emphatically to  
Buffy. "Yup I am! But I'm not the one that's been making google eyes  
all night at a certain Brunette that we both know"

Buffy quickly looks away while trying to fight a blush from creeping  
up to her face. "I...I.. I don't know what you're talking about"

Willow just stares at Buffy. Buffy starts to squirm in her seat  
under the stare of the red headed witch. This goes on for four and a  
half minutes of willow boring holes into her slayer friend. Finally  
buffy can't take it any more and just folds like a bent straw.

"Okay, Okay I love Xander, I'm in love with Xander. Okay? ya happy  
now?" Willow just gives her friend the biggest smile Buffy has ever  
seen "I knew it, I knew it, hahahaha. Oh Buffy this is so great,  
what the hell too you so long huh?"

Buffy has entirely no clue what to say. She was worried what willow  
would think but this reaction was not what she had in mind.  
"You mean you don't mind," She asks quietly.

Willow looks at her like she didn't hear her right "What, Buffy  
obvcourse I'm okay with this. It's Great!"

"What's great?" A voice behind the girls asks. they both turn around  
to see Giles standing there.

"Giles what are you doing here? I thought you were researching  
tonight?"

"What? Only you and Willow are allowed to 'Get your boogie on' as  
you kids say" Giles looks back to Willow "So what's so great?" Buffy  
tried to silence Willow with a kick to the shin but she saw this  
coming and hopped off her stool and blurted to the watcher "Buffy is  
in love with Xander!"

Buffy slowly turns to her watcher wondering what her reaction would  
be. Giles just looks from Buffy to Willow to Buffy and then back to  
Willow. He's quiet for a few seconds then "Dammit, Damn Damn Dammit"  
He reaches into his back pocket and pulls a fifty out and hands it  
to Willow. Willow just smirks and snatches the bill from Giles'  
hand.

Giles looks at Buffy with an annoyed expression "You couldn't have  
waited till next month to fall in love with him? That was my day on  
the pool!" Buffy looks at them both with shocked looks.

"You guys had a pool going?" she asks.

"Yup and I won! So thank you.," she says as she reaches over to give  
her friend a hug. They would have elaborated on the subject more but  
that was the time that Topher decided to step up to the mic and  
introduce himself, Oz and Xander. Giles looks up to the stage with  
shock and surprise written all over his face.

"Is that Xander up there? He plays?"

Both girls look at each other and then back to the watcher. Buffy  
answers, "I think we're about to find out"

Next Part Coming soon. Please R&R. This is my first fanfic so give  
me the truth, good or bad cuz I want to get better at this writing  
gig hehe. by the way i called the fic On Love In Sadness because  
that's the first song they're gonna play but i was just to tired to  
get to it tonight but i promise i will get to it ASAP. thanks  
everybody.

Jason


End file.
